Finned heat exchanger element with slide bars



Feb. 3, 1970 R. c. EDWARDS 3,493,039

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RAY c. ED A as Inventor United States Patent 3,493,039 FINNED HEAT EXCHANGER ELEMENT WITH SLIDE BARS Ray C. Edwards, 101 Alexander Ave., Pompton Plains, NJ. 07444 Filed Sept. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 666,887 Int. Cl. F28f 9/00 US. Cl. 16567 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A slide bar for attachment to finned tubing used in heat exchange structures either heating or cooling which is so constructed and designed as to eliminate oppositely tensioned anchoring means for connecting the slide bar to the fins of the fin tubing, as well as anchoring means constructed and tensioned to prevent loosening or relief of firm solid connection between the anchoring means and fins during expansion or contraction of the fins, thus eliminating distortion of and excessive wear on the slide bar during operation of the heat exchange unit.

This invention relates to finned heat exchange elements, commonly referred to as finned tubes employed in heat exchange units such as baseboard heating installations, and or cooling units both employed for controlling temperatures in enclosures, and particularly to such units embodying slide bars to enable the tubes and their fins to move on their supporting guides under expansion and contraction due to temperature variances, without noise and without mutilation of the fins.

The finned heat exchange elements of the present invention are particularly adaptable for use in the Heating and Cooling System and Apparatus for Enclosures disclosed in Patent No. 3,244,223, issued Apr. 5, 1966, which provides a noiseless, draftless heating and cooling system, and with the employment of the heat exchange elements of the present invention in such systems the last vistage of noise will be eliminated, that is, the scratching or scraping noise caused by the elements moving on their supports under force of expansion or contraction caused by temperature variances.

While the finned heat exchange elements with slide bars are particularly adaptable for use in the heating and cooling apparatus of the patent above mentioned, they are equally adaptable for use in other heating or cooling apparatus wherein finned tubing is employed and supported upon suitable supports or brackets, since the present invention embraces an improved and simplified means of providing for ready movement of such units on their supports.

The installation of finned tube radiation, for the purpose of either heating or cooling, brings up a problem in the units of either expansion or contraction. This is particularly true in long sections or long installations involving interconnected sections. The radiation elements are normally positioned with their edges on support shelves or brackets. The sliding of the fins over the brackets, during expansion and contraction will not, normally, cause any damage to the fins. However, noise can be created.

Because of this noise factor, various short cradle constructions have been used to embrace the lower edge of the fin and serve as a guide shoe interposed between the finned edges and the supporting members of either the baseboard heater or the valance cooler. Installation of these cradles is time consuming and costly, and their use or need is eliminated by the present invention.

The present application relates particularly to a quiet or silent slide arrangement or construction for use in Box- Fin (T.M. Reg. 682,200) that is, finned tubing which is cut and punctured in a long continuous strip, then folded 3,493,039 Patented Feb. 3, 1970 to provide parallel radiating fins mounted on the tube and connected at their opposite edges alternately, each to its adjacent fin by relatively narrow connecting portions thus forming a relatively strong sturdy finned arrangement which materially protects the fins from distortion in handling, installation or other movement and as hereinafter disclosed, the present invention comprehends a simple inexpensive construction of a slide guide and its manner of connection to finned tubing of the Box-Fin type.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a finned tube element having the quiet slide applied thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of a section of finned tubing showing the slide elements applied thereto.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross section showing the construction of and manner of applying the slide element to the fins.

FIGURE 4 is a view showing a partial strip of metal of which the fins are formed prior to the folding of the strip into finned formation and illustrating the location and shape of the openings cut or formed on the sheet to receive the anchoring element of the slide member.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the shape assumed by the anchoring element receiving opening when the strip of metal is folded into fin formation.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 only showing a modified form of the anchoring protrusion on the slide bar.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and with particular reference to FIGURE 4 which shows a strip or blank of thin metal from which the fins that are mounted upon the tube 1 through which the heating or cooling element (such as hot or cold water) is circulated, while the strip or blank 2 is in fiat formation it is perforated or punched to form openings 3 at longitudinally spaced predetermined distances along its length and at short predetermined distances inwardly from its edges.

The openings 3 comprise two substantially semi-circular shaped openings separated by two tongues 4. The tongues 4 have their inner facing ends spaced to form an opening 5 which connects with the semi-circular openings 3 as clearly shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. The blank or strip 2 is then bent or shaped to form the finned element as a whole which is mounted upon the tube 1. This type of finned element is what is known in the art as the Box-Fin, wherein the fiat radiating fins 6 are connected in a unitary structure by the right angularly extending connecting sections which connect the side edges of the fins 6 in alternate arrangement much like an accordian arrangement.

The openings 3 are cut in the strip 2 so that when the strip is folded in fin formation the tongues 4 will extend across the fin connecting elements with the openings 3 formed one in each fiat radiating fin on each side of the connecting elements as shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

Thus the openings in the fiat fins have open sides facing the outer edges of the fins with the tongues 4 extending into these openings at acute angles to the edges of the fins as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawings leaving a mouth or space between the inner ends of the tongue to permit the protruding or anchoring element 8 on the slide 9 to enter into the openings 3.

The slide element 9 is formed of suitable material which will move over the metal supports (not shown) for the finned tube structure without noise or hinderance to the movement of the finned tube under expansion or contraction.

The slide 9 embodies a section 10 which engages the edges of the fins through which the openings 3 open out and a right angularly extending section 11 which engages ie edges of the fins that extend at right angles to the per- )rated edges of the fins as clearly shown in FIGURE 3 f the drawings.

The section 10 of the slide 9 which engages the per- )rated edges of the fins has an anchoring protrusion 8 xtending inwardly from its surface which engages the erforated edges of the fins and located to enter the openlgs 3 through the throat or space between the ends of 1e tongues.

The anchoring protrusion 8 has a hook-like enlargeient 14 formed on its inner end. This hook enlargement 4 is tapered like a half arrow head to permit its easy isertion between the ends of the tongues 4 and when it s in place in the openings 4 this hook engages over the mer end of one of the tongues 4 as shown in FIGURE to securely anchor the slide in place on the finned tube ,nd prevent rotation of the anchoring element as well as displacement of, or disconnection of the slide 9 relative o the finned tube.

The inclining or angling of the tongues as they extend nto the openings 3 provide an entrance which permits he easy entrance of the anchoring protrusion 9 into the lpenings 3 but prevents dislodgement or relative movenent of the anchoring element when it is in place.

FIGURE 6 of the drawings shows a slight modification )f the invention wherein the anchoring protrusion has two 100k enlargements 15 formed thereon and the inner end tssumes the approximate shape of an arrowhead, this iroviding oppositely disposed hooks for engaging the inier ends of both of the tongues 4 and forming a more irm anchoring of the slide 9 in place on the finned tube 11 all other respects the modified form of the invention s as described in connection with FIGURES 1 to of :he drawings.

If it is so desired, the free edge portions of the sections 10 and 11 of the slide 9 may he tapered or beveled to their edge as clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 6 of the drawings.

This application shows and describes the application of the noiseless slide to finned tubes known in the trade as Box-Fin, i.e. finned tubing wherein the fiat fins are rigidly connected in proper spaced relation to each other and the tube by right angled extending connecting sections connected to the edges of the fiat fins at alternate edges to form a continuous fin element for mounting on a tube while my copending application Ser. No. 666,888 filed Sept. 11, 1967 shows the manner of and construction for mounting the slide on a finned tube structure wherein the flat fins are mounted individually on the tube.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heat exchange unit including supporting elements for the unit, an elongated heating or cooling fluid circulating tube, a plurality of rectangular temperature radiating fins mounted on said tube, said fins formed of a strip of metal folded to provide spaced rectangular fins and relatively narrow connecting elements connecting to alternate opposite side edges of the fins to form an accordian-like fin structure, said strip of metal perforated at spaced points along its length inwardly of the edge of the strip to provide openings having spaced enlarged sections connected by an intermediate narrow portion arranged so that when the strip is folded in fin formation the enlarged portion of the openings will be located in adjacent fins with the narrow portion being located in the connecting sections between the fins, thus forming facing tongues along the connecting section intermediate the enlarged portions of the openings, said tongues being bent at acute angles to form an entrance opening gradually decreasing in width as it extends inwardly into the enlarged portions of the opening, said slide bars comprising a strip of material for flatwise engagement against the connecting elements and edges of the fin formation, an anchoring element formed upon and projecting from the side of the slide bar which engages the fin edges and connecting section, said anchoring element having oppositely disposed hooklike extensions formed along its inner edge, said hook-like elements extending oppositely from the body of the anchoring element and each extending at an acute angle outwardly and inwardly at its innermost edge and gradually decreases in cross-sectional area from its point of conjunction with the body of the anchoring element at a gradually increasing distance from the body of the anchoring element to provide substantially line contacts between the edges of the hook-like elements and the edges of the enlarged portions of the opening, so that when the anchoring element is forced through the space between said tongues the hook-like elements will be distorted and spring into gripping engagement with the fins after the hook-like elements pass the inner edges of the tongues, said slide bar having a section extending laterally from its edge at the corners of the fins, said laterally extending section disposed at an angle of less than to the body of the slide bar prior to attachment of the slide bar to the fins so that when the slide bar is attached to the fins said laterally extending section will be forced at right angles to the body of the slide bar into unanchored resiliently forced engagement with the edges of the fins disposed at right angles to the edges to which the slide bar is anchored, thus preventing distortion and distorted strain on the slide bar during expansion and contraction of the heat conducting tube and fins.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,716,802 9/1955 Greer 55 XR 3,258,066 6/1966 Becher et al 16555 3,319,708 5/1967 Nelson 16555 XR 3,384,168 5/1968 Richter 165-55 XR 3,386,501 6/1968 Pastore 165-55 XR 3,395,753 8/1968 Falso 16555 MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner MANUEL A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner 

